UAE driving habits will take ‘a generation’ to go green

Four wheel drives are part of UAE driving culture, so encouraging people to change is going to be difficult, experts say.

Traffic on Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road. Photo: Reem Mohammed/The National

ABU DHABI // It will take “a generation” to wean UAE drivers off petrol-guzzling 4x4s and into smaller, greener vehicles, regardless of rising fuel costs and government incentives, experts and car enthusiasts say.

Four-wheel drives are part of UAE driving culture, so encouraging people to change is going to be difficult, said Phil Clarke, a principal road safety consultant at Transport Research Laboratory.

“Change takes at least a generation, if society accepts the need to change. I think it’s unlikely anything could bring about a significant reduction in 4x4 numbers on UAE roads in the near future.”

Cheap petrol and the high purchasing power of large segments of the population make the Emirates a special case.

“Fuel prices are not high enough to have an impact on car-buying decisions,” said Alexander Kappes, chief executive of Classifieds Middle East.

After fuel prices were deregulated in August 2015, a pricing policy linked to global prices was adopted. The cost of petrol and diesel rose in the first three months of this year, before dropping this month.

Motorists are paying Dh1.95 a litre for Super 98, Dh1.84 for Special 95, Dh1.77 for E-plus while diesel costs Dh1.95.

“I don’t think fuel prices here are a deterrent to buying larger vehicles,” Mr Clarke said.

"The government is trying to encourage people to use public transport. They are also starting to promote electric vehicles and installing the charging points to facilitate their use."

Most 4x4 and SUV drivers feel they are safer than those in small and mid-size cars.

“There is the perception of safety with larger vehicles and higher driving positions,” said Glenn Havinoviski, a US-based transport expert who previously worked in Abu Dhabi.

“Especially when the country has a combination of extensive motorways, dual carriageways, and off-road tracks, an SUV provides both the perception of safety as well as off-road capability.”

SUVs are built to accommodate large families, which is also consideration for UAE drivers.

“The roads are large and relatively high speed and lend themselves to being used by larger vehicles,” Mr Clarke said. “If you drive a larger vehicle, it can help you feel less intimidated by others driving aggressively.”

Saud Abbasi, managing director of Toyota, Al Futtaim Motors, said its Land Cruiser model is considered a staple by many Emirati families.

“Both Emirati and expat customers will continue to show preference for SUVs. However once the government starts providing consumers with financial incentives, that would likely have the largest impact on the type of vehicle they choose to drive.”

For people to make that switch, driving habits would have to improve Mr Kappes said.

“Once drivers aren’t being tailgated by huge SUVs they’ll be more likely to look for other values in a car than perceived safety,” he said.

Government incentives are usually an efficient way of pointing consumers in a certain direction, and value-added tax will give the government another powerful tool, Mr Kappes said.

“However I think it’s important to manage expectations at this stage. Electric cars still aren’t a viable alternative for a lot of drivers due to their limited range, long recharge periods, and in a lot of cases: price.”

While the UK government subsidises electric car purchases with GBP4,500, the electric Nissan Leaf starts at GBP21,680, while a comparable petrol Nissan Note costs GBP11,135.

“If you depend on your car for a daily commute or work, electric isn’t an option, and no subsidy can change that,” Mr Kappes said. “The infrastructure for electric cars isn’t strong enough yet, and charging stations are limited.”

However, the future for electric and low-emission vehicles is still bright in the UAE, Mr Kappes said.

“Once electric cars can compete with regular cars in terms of convenience, government incentives like no VAT, grants, or parking and Salik exemptions will play a big role in transitioning customers to electric cars.”